Manufacturing Process of Mattress

Mattress Rollator 

The Mattress Rollator is also designed to simulate approximately 10 years of normal use on amattress set. During testing, a 240 pound Hexagonal Shaped Roller passes back and forth acrossthe width of the mattress set 100,000 times at a pre-set speed. The test runs non-stop for approximately 3½ - 4 days. Upon completion, the surface condition and profile of the mattress setare evaluated and compared to results taken before the test. Additional measurements are takenagain after a 24 hour recovery period.

Foam Compression Tester 

The Foam Compression Tester is designed to evaluate the height and firmness of a mattress or mattress set. It measures Indentation Load Deflection (ILD) between 0 and 4 inches in ½"increments, using a 13.5" circular pattern. These measurements represent the firmness or feel of the product and are taken at five different locations on the mattress.

Flammability Testing

In 1954, the United States Congress passed the Flammable Fabrics Act that required fabrics tomeet mandatory standards. The first test was CS 191-53, a simple test that identified hazardous,flammable fabrics from those formerly considered safe for sale into commerce. Standards werelater developed for identifying hazardous, flammable mattress ticking. There are other tests that arequoted when the flammability of mattress ticking and interior furnishing fabrics is discussed. Someof these tests are mandatory while others are voluntary. Some are component tests performed onlyon fabric or foam, while others are composite tests performed on the product as it would bepurchased and used. The following is a brief description of these tests, how they are performed andhow the test results should be interpreted.

Federal Flammability Standard Title 16CFR1632

(Formerly DOC FF 4-72) – The United States Government Standard For The Flammability Of Mattresses. May be referred to as CTB 106.The 16CFR1632 test is sometimes referred to as the cigarette test. This is a component test thatmeasures the horizontal flame spread of a lighted cigarette placed on top of the ticking fabric. Theburned area on the ticking is measured after the cigarette has burned its entire length. If the burnedarea is over one inch, it does not pass. The Class A test is performed by placing the ticking over athickness of cotton batting and the Class B test is performed with the ticking over urethane foam.

NFPA 101 Life Safety Code

Handbook is guide that lists safety requirements in public occupancybuildings. In regard to fire standards for mattresses it basically states if a facility is protected by anapproved automatic sprinkler system, follow city, state and the federal regulation 16 CFR 1632. If there is not an approved automatic sprinkler system mattresses must pass California TechnicalBulletin.

California Bureau of Home FurnishingsTechnical Bulletin

This is a component fire retardancy test that is applied to filling or covering materials such as fabric,polyurethane foam or cotton batting. The test varies for different items, but basically it is a verticalflame test which measures after-flame (time it burns after source of flame is removed) and char length. Other 117 test procedures involve using a cigarette on treated cotton batting with a sheetingcover over it, or a cigarette placed in a crevice of folded fabric on a mini chair mock-up.

California Technical Bulletin

A full scale composite test that subjects mattresses to open flame ignition from ten double sheets of newspaper burning in a metal wastepaper basket. This ignition source is placed under the bed in atest chamber equipped to monitor weight loss, ceiling temperature, concentration of carbonmonoxide, and smoke opacity. If any one of the first three test criteria is not met, the product doesnot pass. This test is mandatory for products used in the State of California in high risk occupancybuildings such as prisons nursing homes and health care facilities. As a composite test, itaddresses the flammability of the end product. If there is 10% of weight loss, the mattress fails.

California Technical Bulletin 

A full scale composite test that subjects seating furniture to an open flame ignition from fivecrumpled sheets of newspaper placed in a small metal and wire container. The test is conducted ina chamber by placing the container on the seat and igniting the newspaper. Air temperature,smoke, carbon monoxide, and weight loss are monitored. As a composite test, it addresses theflammability of the end product. This test is required for Seating Furniture to be used in publicoccupancies.

Underwriters Laboratories Proposed Standard 1985

A full scale composite test of mattresses and box springs similar to California Technical Bulletin 121with the exception of the ignition source and its placement. The UL 1895 open flame ignition sourceis a five-pound crib of kiln dried hardwood placed beside the bed and ignited. The UL test monitorsthe rate of heat release, the concentration of carbon dioxide, and smoke density. This test wasdesigned by fire engineers and represents the latest in available fire technology, relatingsophisticated lab calorimeter results to full scale burn testing. As a composite test, it addresses theflammability of the end product.

California Technical Bulletin 

A mattress is fully made up:• Mattress Pad• Bottom Sheet• Draw Sheet• Top Sheet• Blanket• Pillow with pillow cover The bed clothes must be 50% synthetic fiber (poly) and 50% cotton. (cotton burns slowly and polyburns fast.) The bedclothes are tucked under the mattress except for the top sheet and blanketwhich is left hanging. A burner (like a blowtorch) is ignited at the side of the mattress. A mattresspasses based on a combination of factors that includes weight loss, toxic fumes, rate and heatrelease, ceiling temperature, etc. Many Fire Marshals and Safety Officers require mattresses topast this test if there is not an approved automatic sprinkler system in each room where mattresseswill be used.5/2007

Boston Fire Code IX-11

A mattress is fully made up with:• Mattress Pad• Bottom Sheet• Draw Sheet• Top Sheet• Blanket• Pillow with Pillow Cover A container is placed under the mattress, filled with newspapers, and ignited. A combination of factors including weight loss, toxic gases, rate of heat release, ceiling temperature, etc. isconsidered to determine pass or fail.

Federal Flammability Standard Title 16 CFR Part 1633

Effective July 1, 2007, all mattresses manufactured, imported or renovated for sale or introductioninto commerce must meet new federal regulations regarding flammability. This new standard, 16CFR 1633 (referred to as 1633), is similar to California Technical Bulletin (TB) 603 but is not thesame. The new federal regulation has energy release levels that are more stringent than TB 603,and requires that mattresses have a label exclusively dedicated to showing they are 1633compliant.The new Federal Standard sets two criteria to limit the growth of the fire in a mattress or mattressset as follows:• Must not exceed a 200 k W peak heat release rate within 30 minutes of the test.

 Fabric Flammability

The primary flammability hazard associated with textile products such as drapes, furniture,upholstery, and mattress ticking is accidental exposure to an ignition source. Fabrics composed of cellulosic fibers such as cotton, rayon, and linen or thermoplastic fibers such as polyester, acrylic,nylon, and polypropylene will ignite source and as a result, expose a composite product’s inner components as potential fuel for a fire. In a room the resultant fire can then reach flashover in a fewshort minutes. Flashover is a phenomenon that occurs when an individual room fire approaching1,000 degrees Fahrenheit actually explodes the room. When this happens, every organic thing inthe room is consumed and the now intense fire proceeds to hallways and adjacent rooms repeatingthe flashover. This domino effect of flashover has been known to consume entire buildings withcatastrophic results. 

The burning of urethane foams such as those used in mattresses andupholstered furniture has proven to be a vehicle that can carry a room fire to flashover.The National Institute of Standards and Testing (NIST) has created a highly sophisticated computer model that is able to accurately predict a room flashover situation by entering room furnishings,room dimensions, and laboratory fire test data into the program. This model predicts that byprotecting the flammable fuel sources (i.e., foams and stuffing) in a typical room through the use of barrier textiles, it is possible to contain the fire within the room thereby averting a flashover situationand protect the building from catastrophic destruction. NIST computer model results have beenconfirm4ed with full room burn testing. With flammable materials involved in a room fire, flashover can occur in as few as seven minutes. With state of the art barrier fabrics in room furnishings, theprobability of flashover is dramatically reduced.Innovative fibers, such as Kevlar ®, and fiberglass, add a high level of inherent flame retardancy tofabrics to the point that these high tech products have become the current sate of the art for fireprotection all over the world.

Flame Retardant (FR)

You should be aware that there are many fabrics that will pass component flammability tests whenburned in single strips as per that particular test’s protocol. Some of these same fabrics, particularlythermoplastic products such as polyester, nylon, and polypropylene can burn, melt, or shrink awaywhen subjected to an ignition source. This action can expose flammable contents underneath to thefire creating a dangerous and potentially deadly fire situation.By testing the end use (composite) product, such as a mattress or an upholstered chair,flammability test results are much more meaningful. This is why you should place more confidencein composite testing that in component testing. Composite tests such as California TechnicalBulletins 121 and 133, Boston Regulatory Notes (2-7-83), and Underwriters laboratories ProposedStandard 1895 recognize that real life fire situations involve the entire finished product and thesetests have been engineered to set parameters and gauge the results. Composite testing must beconsidered when one realizes the potential for death, property damage, and the resultant liabilityassociated with building fires.

Additional Fire Codes

ASTM E 1590:

This test method provides a means of determining the burning behavior of mattresses used in public occupancies by measuring specific fire test responses when the testspecimen (mattress or mattress with foundation) is subjected to a specified flaming ignition sourceunder well ventilated conditions. To pass this test the peak rate of heat release for the mattressshall not exceed 250 k W.

ASTM E 176:

This terminology covers terms, related definitions, and descriptions of terms used or likely to be used in fire-test-response standards, fire-hazard-assessment standards, and fire-risk-assessment standards. Definitions of terms are special-purpose definitions that are consistent withthe standard definitions but are written to ensure that a specific fire-test-response standard, fire-hazard-assessment standard, or fire-risk-assessment standard is properly understood and preciselyinterpreted.

NFPA 267:

Standard Method of Test for Fire Characteristics of Mattresses and Bedding

Assemblies Exposed to Flaming Ignition Source. NFPA 267 presents a test method using an opencalorimeter environment to determine heat release, smoke density, weight loss, and generation of carbon monoxide of mattresses and bedding assemblies when exposed to a flaming ignitionsource, 1998 Edition.

NFPA: 260:

Standard Methods of Tests and Classification System for Cigarette Ignition Resistanceof Components of Upholstered Furniture, 2003 Edition.

NFPA: 261:

Standard Method of Test for Determining Resistance of Mock-Up UpholsteredFurniture Material Assemblies to Ignition by Smoldering Cigarettes, 2003 Edition.

NFPA 267:

Standard Method of Test for Fire Characteristics of Mattresses and BeddingAssemblies Exposed to Flaming Ignition Source, 1998 Edition.

FF4-72:

State of California Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau of Home Furnishings,Technical Bulletin #106, Federal Standard 16 CFR 1632 (FF 4-72): See Federal Flammabilitystandard on page 1 of this Primer.